armor, you have to take a close look. How was I to know those two had planned a robbery?"
"You should have kept me in the loop."
"Give me a break; I didn't even know if it was the missing piece. I was just doing my job as a consultant, following up a lead."
"That's no excuse. I don't pay you to take risks. I expect my freelance consultants to exercise good judgment and common sense and to stay within the boundaries of their expertise. I thought I made it clear when I hired you the first time that your job is to trace rumors and leads. I arrange for recovery."
ABC Amber Text Converter Trial vers ion, http://www.processtext.com/abctxt.html
He really was annoyed. A cold sensation settled over her.
"Are you telling me that I'm fired?" she asked.
"I'm thinking about it."
Not a certainty yet. She took a deep breath. It wasn't much, but she would cling to the tiny glimmer of hope.
"The situation that developed tonight is highly unlikely to ever occur again," she said briskly.
"Yeah?"
"In fact, I can practically guarantee that it won't."
"Is that so?"
"Next time, I'll keep you fully apprised," she vowed. 'There won't be any more screw-ups."
Mack did not respond.
"I'll send you daily progress reports," she assured him. "Via e-mail so you'll get them in a timely fashion."
"Hmm."
He was weakening. She was almost sure of it.
"I'll institute my own internal procedures," she continued earnestly.
"Procedures?"
"I'll make sure you know the exact status of any trace job I'm working on, twenty-four hours a day. That way you can ask questions or give instructions at any point."
More silence. She held her breath.
"I take it you like working for Lost and Found?" he finally asked neutrally.
"Very much," she said quickly. "I realized after that first job that I did for you, the one involving the ewer from that Spanish monastery that I wanted to do more trace work. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy consulting for my clients who want to acquire good pieces. But when you think about it, the Lost and Found work is a natural extension of my business. It takes advantage of my skills in a way that is extremely interesting. Fascinating, in fact."
"I see. You're in it for the thrill, is that it?"
"The challenge," she said. "I'm in it for the challenge."
"Uh-huh."
She waited, hardly daring to move.
"I don't want any more incidents like the one tonight," he warned.
He was weakening.
"As I said, I'll institute my own additional procedures to keep you fully informed."
He brooded on that. Mentally she drew up and designed a variety of professional-looking forms that she could use to transmit reports.
"All right," Mack said, finally. "We'll try it again. I'll give you a call the next time I get something in the decorative arts."
She allowed herself to relax. 'Thanks. I really appreciate this. You won't regret it."
"You're sure of that?"
"Absolutely. Come on, Mack, you have to admit that I'm good at what I do. I've turned up all three of the missing objects you sent me after. Four, counting the helmet."
"Can't argue with that."
"I've got good instincts for this kind of work."
"Good instincts," he agreed dryly. "And good contacts."
She shrugged. "The art world is a small one and I was raised in it from the cradle. I can pull in information from a variety of sources that you can't reach with your computer program."
"You don't have to sell me on your ability to do the job. I already know you've got a flair for it."
She gazed steadily at the shadowed outline of his face. Best to change the subject again, she decided. "Well, now that we've settled my employment status, there's something else we should discuss."
"What's that?"
"I haven't thanked you for what you did tonight," she said quietly. "I'm not sure how to do it. In fact, I don't even know how to begin."
ABC Amber Text Converter Trial vers ion, http://www.processtext.com/abctxt.html
"Forget it," he growled. "It's company policy at Lost and Found to keep an eye on
"You should have kept me in the loop."
"Give me a break; I didn't even know if it was the missing piece. I was just doing my job as a consultant, following up a lead."
"That's no excuse. I don't pay you to take risks. I expect my freelance consultants to exercise good judgment and common sense and to stay within the boundaries of their expertise. I thought I made it clear when I hired you the first time that your job is to trace rumors and leads. I arrange for recovery."
ABC Amber Text Converter Trial vers ion, http://www.processtext.com/abctxt.html
He really was annoyed. A cold sensation settled over her.
"Are you telling me that I'm fired?" she asked.
"I'm thinking about it."
Not a certainty yet. She took a deep breath. It wasn't much, but she would cling to the tiny glimmer of hope.
"The situation that developed tonight is highly unlikely to ever occur again," she said briskly.
"Yeah?"
"In fact, I can practically guarantee that it won't."
"Is that so?"
"Next time, I'll keep you fully apprised," she vowed. 'There won't be any more screw-ups."
Mack did not respond.
"I'll send you daily progress reports," she assured him. "Via e-mail so you'll get them in a timely fashion."
"Hmm."
He was weakening. She was almost sure of it.
"I'll institute my own internal procedures," she continued earnestly.
"Procedures?"
"I'll make sure you know the exact status of any trace job I'm working on, twenty-four hours a day. That way you can ask questions or give instructions at any point."
More silence. She held her breath.
"I take it you like working for Lost and Found?" he finally asked neutrally.
"Very much," she said quickly. "I realized after that first job that I did for you, the one involving the ewer from that Spanish monastery that I wanted to do more trace work. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy consulting for my clients who want to acquire good pieces. But when you think about it, the Lost and Found work is a natural extension of my business. It takes advantage of my skills in a way that is extremely interesting. Fascinating, in fact."
"I see. You're in it for the thrill, is that it?"
"The challenge," she said. "I'm in it for the challenge."
"Uh-huh."
She waited, hardly daring to move.
"I don't want any more incidents like the one tonight," he warned.
He was weakening.
"As I said, I'll institute my own additional procedures to keep you fully informed."
He brooded on that. Mentally she drew up and designed a variety of professional-looking forms that she could use to transmit reports.
"All right," Mack said, finally. "We'll try it again. I'll give you a call the next time I get something in the decorative arts."
She allowed herself to relax. 'Thanks. I really appreciate this. You won't regret it."
"You're sure of that?"
"Absolutely. Come on, Mack, you have to admit that I'm good at what I do. I've turned up all three of the missing objects you sent me after. Four, counting the helmet."
"Can't argue with that."
"I've got good instincts for this kind of work."
"Good instincts," he agreed dryly. "And good contacts."
She shrugged. "The art world is a small one and I was raised in it from the cradle. I can pull in information from a variety of sources that you can't reach with your computer program."
"You don't have to sell me on your ability to do the job. I already know you've got a flair for it."
She gazed steadily at the shadowed outline of his face. Best to change the subject again, she decided. "Well, now that we've settled my employment status, there's something else we should discuss."
"What's that?"
"I haven't thanked you for what you did tonight," she said quietly. "I'm not sure how to do it. In fact, I don't even know how to begin."
ABC Amber Text Converter Trial vers ion, http://www.processtext.com/abctxt.html
"Forget it," he growled. "It's company policy at Lost and Found to keep an eye on
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